The cold trickles on his face remindedJon of the day he’d bid farewell to Robb at Winterfell, neverknowing that it was for the last time. “And pull your hood up. Thesnowakes are melting in your hair.”

and it wasthere the ravens liked to perch. The tree was full of them, and therewere more in the arched windows overhead, all

Lord Leyton’s locked atop his tower with the MadMaid, consulting books of spells. Might be he’ll raise an army fromthe deeps

Lady of the Tower,

“No,” he said. “Put this in there.”

Don’t leave me, he wanted to call, but of course she’d leftthem long ago.

“I am not your sister, Jaime.” She raised a pale soft hand andpushed her hood back. “Have you forgotten me?”Can I forget someone I never knew? The words caught in his throat.He did know her, but it had been so long .

Ser DesmondGrell, Lord Hoster’s old master-at-arms, preferred to take the black.So did Ser Robin Ryger, Riverrun’s captain of guards.

My place is with my king. With my son. Would Tommenwant to know that? The truth could cost the boy his throne. Wouldyou sooner have a father or a chair, lad? Jaime wished he knew theanswer.

Somehow he did not think the maesters were like toconfuse him with Prince Aemon the Dragonknight when they wrotetheir histories

uld Ser Dermot’s direwolf be thesame beast that had mauled Jorey near the cros

and twice asdangerous as Edmure if she were ever to escape us.”

“No more than I want Joy to marry the son of some schemingturncloak bitch. She deserves better.” Jaime would happily havestrangled the woman with her seashell necklace. Joy was a sweetchild, albeit a lonely one; her father had been Jaime’s favorite uncle.“Your daughter is worth ten of you, my lady. You’ll leave withEdmure and Ser Forley on the morrow. Until then, you would dowell to stay out of my sight.” He

Her grandmother had been some sort of half-mad witch woman from the east,

Jeyne burst from her chair and would have ed the room if theguard at the door had not seized her by the arm. “She is not,” saidLady Sybell, as her daughter struggled to escape. “I made certain ofthat, as your lord father bid me.”Jaime nodded. Tywin Lannister was not a man to overlook suchdetails. “Unhand the girl,” he said, “I’m done with her for now.” AsJeyne ed sobbing down the stairs,

“She would notgive up the little crown the rebel gave her, and when I tried to takeit from her head the willful child fought me.”“It was mine.” Jeyne sobbed. “You had no right. Robb had itmade for me. I loved him.”

me to see you in this room, Kingslayer. You will never know howmuch I despise you.”

Littlenger and I built a castle out of wooden blocksonce, there beside the door

“He did swim,” said Edmure, sullenly. He had the same blue eyesas his sister Catelyn, and Jaime saw the same loathing there thathe’d once seen in hers

We will leave this world together, as we once came into it. “He willnot lose. Not Jaime. Not with my life at stake.”

“To help me to my grave. I asked for you to leave. Will you makeme call my gaolers and have you dragged away, you vile, scheming,evil bitch?

but the septas laid their handson me and stripped me to the skin. M

In the end, she chose a soft woolen dress that covered her fromthroat to ankle, with only a few small vines embroidered on thebodice and the sleeves in golden thread to soften the severity of itslines. Even better, brown would help conceal the dirt if she wasmade to kneel

He seemed surprised when Cerseigathered him up in her arms and kissed him on his brow. “What’sthat for, Mother? Why are you crying?”Because you’re safe, she wanted to tell him. Because no harm willever come to you. “You are mistaken. A lion never cries.” Therewould be time later to tell him about Margaery and her cousins.“There are some warrants that I need you to sign.”For the king’s sake, the queen had left the names o the arrestwarrants. Tommen signed them blank, and pressed his seal into thewarm wax happily, as he always did.

“She is not. I examined her myself, at the behest of His HighHoliness. Her maidenhead is not intact.

“Lady Catelyn? Tears lled her eyes. “Theysaid ... they said that you were dead

Guest right don’t mean so much as it used to,” said the girl. “Notsince m’lady come back from the wedding. Some o’ them swingingdown by the river gured they was guests too.

“It was you killed the dog, m’lady,”

“Lady Stoneheart.”“Some call her that. Some call her other things. The Silent Sister.Mother Merciless. The Hangwoma

“Jaime,” she heard herself scream, “Jaime.”

Herthroat tightened. She did not want to wed again, not now, perhapsnot ever. “I do not ... I cannot marry. Father, I ...” A

“Fire and blood.”

“It was a pot of molten gold.

I am three-and-twenty, f

Willas Tyrell,

“Mother? Did I say something wrong?”Cersei kissed her son’s brow. “You said something very wise,sweetling. Now run along and play with your kittens.

I was never so sweet and innocent, Cersei thought. How can he everhope to rule in this cruel realm? The mother in her wanted only toprotect him; the queen in her knew he must grow harder, or theIron Throne was certain to devour him

Tommen helped restore her to herself. He had never been moreprecious to her than he was that morning, chattering about hiskittens as he dribbled honey onto a chunk of hot black bread freshfrom the ovens. “Ser Pounce caught a mouse,” he told her, “butLady Whiskers stole it from him.”

Lord Tywin wouldnot have turned away

“Mother have mercy, no.”“I am not your mother,” Cersei told h

“Liar!” Cersei smashed the lute across the singer’s face so hard thepainted wood exploded into shards and splinters.

vily and kept stealingglances at the singer

That was always a danger, when a grown woman wasmarried to a child.

Diddling little LadyBulwe

“As you did for Jorey? And his father, my own belovedhusband? Robert was as strong as any man in the Seven Kingdoms,yet you lost him to a boar. Oh, and let us not forget Jon Arryn. Nodoubt you would have killed Ned Stark as well, if I had let you keephim longer. Tell me, maester, was it at the Citadel that you learnedto wring your hands and make excuses?

“She ... they made her do it, Lord Walder and the rest. Roslinnever wanted ... she wept, but I thought it w

er it a wedding gift.”Edmure stared at him with wary eyes. “A ... wedding gift?

battlements. And with this golden hand of mine, most like the rst tofall

e leaned forward. “Why not you and me, ser

“I will permit you to take the black. Ned Stark’s bastard is theLord Commander on the Wall.”The Blacksh narrowed his eyes. “Did your father arrange for thatas well? Catelyn never trusted the boy, as I recall, no more than sheever trusted Theon Greyjoy. It would seem she was right about themboth. No, ser, I think not. I’ll die warm, if you please, with a swordin hand running red with lion blood

“Your word of honor?” Ser Brynden raised an eyebrow. “Do youeven know what honor is?”A horse.

“No. My king entrusted his queen to my keeping, and I swore tokeep her safe.

“Mynephew is marked for death no matter what I do. So hang him andbe done with it. I expect that Edmure is

“Whilst Catelyn enjoys the comforts of her grave.”

“I assume you have returned to fulll the oaths you swore myniece,” Ser Brynden said. “As I recall, you promised Catelyn herdaughters in return for your freedom.” His mouth tightened. “Yet Ido not see the girls. Where are they?”

Seven, Brienne thought again, despairing. She had no chanceagainst seven, she knew. No chance, and no choice.She stepped out into the rain, Oathkeeper in hand. “Leave her be.

and beneath thedark hood of the lead rider Brienne glimpsed an iron snout and rowsof steel teeth, snarling

Hunt rolled his eyes. “I forgot that I was talking to a woman. Yourheart is as mushy as our septon’s porridge. Can it be? Somewhereinside our swordswench is a mother just squirming to give birth.

was the closest thingto a man grown, but it was Willow shouting all the orders, as if shewere a queen in her castle and the other children were no more thanservants.If she were highborn, command would come n

“Tansy,

But when hesaw the day was lost, he ew o as fast as the grins on his shield.

Lord Connington the Hand

This is not right, this is not fair, how have I sinned that thegods would do this to me, how?

“A child,” he repeated, “but I want you. Does that frighten you,Sansa?”

. “I want to be marriedtoo,” said the plump little princeling, who was all of nine. “I’m tallerthan my uncle!”

“My lady wife is most concerned for you,” he said quietly,one such time.“Lady Leonette is too sweet. Tell her I am well.”“A bride at her wedding should be more than well.” His voice wasnot unkind. “You seemed close to tears.”“Tears of joy, ser.”“Your eyes give the lie to your tongue.” Ser Garlan turned her,drew her close to his side. “My lady, I have seen how you look atmy brother. Loras is valiant and handsome, and we all love himdearly ... but your Imp will make a better husband. He is a biggerman than he seems, I think.”

It was so sweet and silly that Sansa had to laugh, despiteeverything. Afterward she was absurdly grateful. Somehow thelaughter made her hopeful again, if only for a little while. Smiling,she let the music take her, losing herself in the steps, in the sound ofute and pipes and harp, in the rhythm of the drum ... and fromtime to time in Ser Garlan’s arms, when the dance brought themtogether.

My brother Willas gave me thatname, as it happens. To protect me.”

“Lady Sansa.” Ser Garlan Tyrell stood beside the dais. “Would youhonor me? If your lord consents?”

she thought dully. How I hate her.

Margaery gave her such a sad look,

I won’t. Whyshould I spare his feelings, when no one cares about mine?

I don’t want any Lannister, she wanted to say. I want Willas, I wantHighgarden and the puppies and the barge, and sons named Eddard andBran and Rickon.

“You’re prettier with your mouth closed, Sansa,” Cersei told her.“Come along now, the septon is waiting. And the wedding guests aswell.”“No,” Sansa blurted. “No.”“Yes. You are a ward of the crown. The king stands in yourfather’s place, since your brother is an attainted traitor. That meanshe has every right to dispose of your hand. You are to marry mybrother Tyrion.”

“Oh, I am.” She could not wait for Willas to see her likethis. He will love me, he will, he must ... he will forget Winterfell whenhe sees me, I’ll see that he does.

The smallclothes were all silk, butthe gown itself was ivory samite and cloth-of-silver, and lined withsilvery satin. The points of the long dagged sleeves almost touchedthe ground when she lowered her arms. And it was a woman’sgown, not a little girl’s, there was no doubt of that. The bodice wasslashed in front almost to her belly, the deep vee covered over witha panel of ornate Myrish lace in dove-grey. The skirts were long andfull, the waist so tight that Sansa had to hold her breath as theylaced her into it. They brought her new shoes as well, slippers of

“Unsullied!” Dany galloped before them, her silver-gold braidying behind her, her bell chiming with every stride. “Slay the GoodMasters, slay the soldiers, slay every man who wears a tokar orholds a whip, but harm no child under twelve, and strike the chainso every slave you see.” She raised the harpy’s ngers in theair ... and then she ung the scourge aside. “Freedom!” she sang out.“Dracarys! Dracarys!”“Dracarys!” they shouted back, the sweetest word she’d everheard. “Dracarys! Dracarys!” And all around them slavers ran andsobbed and begged and died, and the dusty air was lled withspears and re.

“Drogon,” she sang out loudly, sweetly, all herfear forgotten. “Dracarys.”

pitted olives stued with maggots,

“Remember. To go north, you must journey south. To reach thewest, you must go east. To go forward you must go back, and totouch the light you must pass beneath the shadow.”“Quaithe?”

That night she dreamt that she was Rhaegar, riding to the Trident.But she was mounted on a dragon, not a horse. When she saw theUsurper’s rebel host across the river they were armored all in ice,but she bathed them in dragonre and they melted away like dewand turned the Trident into a torrent. Some small part of her knewthat she was dreaming, but another part exulted. This is how it wasmeant to be. The other was a nightmare, and I have only now awakened.

The girl lowered her eyes. “Three of them were my brothers once,Your Grace.”

“All men must die,” Dany agreed

“Valar morghulis,” said Missandei, in High Valyrian.

Missandei,

The Mother of Dragons has sold her strongest child. Eventhe thought made her ill.

Whitebeard stared in shocked disbelief. His hand trembled whereit grasped the sta. “No.” He went to one knee before her. “YourGrace, I beg you, win your throne with dragons, not slaves. Youmust not do this thing—”

Women who bedbrothers or fathers or clan kin oend the gods, and are cursed withweak and sickly children. Even monsters.”

His uncle had originated that tactic, Jonknew. Anything to make the enemy unsure.

Was this how it was for my father? hewondered. Was he as weak as I am, when he dishonored himself in mymother’s bed?

It will never happen again.It happened twice more that night, and again in the morning,

I have no choice,he’d told himself the rst time, when she slipped beneath hissleeping skins. If I refuse her, she will know me for a turncloak. I amplaying the part the Halfhand told me to play

You cannot come with me,” Jon said, cupping the wolf’s head inhis hands and looking deep into those eyes. “You have to go toCastle Black. Do you understand? Castle Black. Can you nd it? Theway home? Just follow the ice, east and east, into the sun, andyou’ll nd it. They will know you at Castle Black, and maybe yourcoming will warn them.”

his little sister Arya. Is she still my sister? he wondered.Was she ever? He had never truly been a Stark, only Lord Eddard’smotherless bastard, with no more place at Winterfell than TheonGreyjoy. And even that he’d lost. When a man of the Night’s Watchsaid his words, he put aside his old family and joined a new one, butJon Snow had lost those brothers too.

he had learned the names of the twelve houses ofheaven and the rulers of each; he could nd the seven wandererssacred to the Faith; he was old friends with the Ice Dragon, theShadowcat, the Moonmaid, and the Sword of the Morning. All thosehe shared with Ygritte, but not some of the others. We look up at thesame stars, and see such dierent things. The King’s Crown was theCradle, to hear her tell it; the Stallion was the Horned Lord; the redwanderer that septons preached was sacred to their Smith up herewas called the Thief. And when the Thief was in the Moonmaid,

His Grace would soonersee Shireen dead than wed to such.

“Not treason. Never treason. I love His Grace as much as any man.My own niece is his queen, and I remained loyal to him when wisermen ed. I am his Hand, the Hand of the King, how can I be atraitor? I only meant to save our lives, and ... honor ... yes.”

Whenthe red star bleeds and the darkness gathers, Azor Ahai shall be bornagain amidst smoke and salt to wake dragons out of stone. Thebleeding star has come and gone, and Dragonstone is the place ofsmoke and salt. Stannis Baratheon is Azor Ahai reborn!”

Do you think I crossedhalf the world to put yet another vain king on yet another emptythrone? The war has been waged since time began, and before it isdone, all men must choose where they will stand. On one side isR’hllor, the Lord of Light, the Heart of Fire, the God of Flame andShadow. Against him stands the Great Other whose name may notbe spoken, the Lord of Darkness, the Soul of Ice, the God of Nightand Terror. Ours is not a choice between Baratheon and Lannister,between Greyjoy and Stark. It is death we choose, or life. Darkness,or light.”

Porridge at least seemed to know hewas alive, and there was a queer sort of kindness to the man. Davossuspected that he fed the rats; that was why there were so many.Once he thought he heard the gaoler talking to them as if they werechildren,

The Knight of the LaughingTree had vanished. The king was wroth, and even sent his son thedragon prince to seek the man, but all they ever found was hispainted shield, hanging abandoned in a tree. It was the dragonprince who won that tourney in the end.”

Knight of the Laughing Tree spoke in abooming voice through his helm, saying,

The Dragonknight once won atourney as the Knight of Tears, so he could name his sister thequeen of love and beauty in place of the king’s mistress. AndBarristan the Bold twice donned a mystery knight’s armor, the rsttime when he was only ten.

“You never heard this tale from your father?” asked Jojen.

His heart was torn. Crannogmenare smaller than most, but just as proud. The lad was no knight, nomore than any of his people. We sit a boat more often than a horse,and our hands are made for oars, not lances. Much as he wished tohave his vengeance, he feared he would only make a fool of himselfand shame his people.

. “The wolf maid saw them too, andpointed them out to her brothers. ‘I could nd you a horse, andsome armor that might t,’ the pup oered.

and lastly with the quietwolf ... but only after the wild wolf spoke to her on behalf of abrother too shy to leave his bench.

There he met her pack brothers: the wildwolf who led them, the quiet wolf beside him, and the pup who wasyoungest of the four.

‘That’s my father’s man you’re kicking,’howled the she-wolf.”“A wolf on four legs, or two?”“Two,” said Meera. “The she-wolf laid into the squires with atourney sword, scattering them all.

One was the wife of the dragon prince,

“It was the green men he meant to nd. So he donned a shirtsewn with bronze scales, like mine, took up a leathern shield and athree-pronged spear, like mine, and paddled a little skin boat downthe Green Fork.”Bran closed his eyes to try and see the man in his little skin boat.In his head, the crannogman looked like Jojen, only older andstronger and dressed like Meera.

“There was one knight,” said Meera, “in the year of the falsespring. The Knight of the Laughing Tree, they called him.

“an eagle.”

One day there would be Starks in Winterfell again, he told himself,and then he’d send for the Liddles and pay them back a hundredfoldfor every nut and berry.

word of certain other walking dead.” He looked at Bran when hesaid that, and at Summer stretched out beside him. “As to thatWall,” the man went on, “it’s not a place that I’d be going. The OldBear took the Watch into the haunted woods, and all that come backwas his ravens, with hardly a message between them. Dark wings,dark words, me mother used to say, but when the birds y silent,seems to me that’s even darker.” He poked at the re with his stick.“It was dierent when there was a Stark in Winterfell. But the oldwolf’s dead and young one’s gone south to play the game of thrones,and all that’s left us is the ghosts.”

“Wull?” said Meera. “Jojen, wasn’t there a Wull who rode withFather during the war?”“Theo Wull.” Jojen was breathing hard from the climb. “Buckets,they used to call him.”

I hate these stupidmountains of yours, Prince Bran.”“Yesterday you said you loved them.”“Oh, I do. My lord father told me about mountains, but I neversaw one till now. I love them more than I can say.”Bran made a face at her. “But you just said you hated them.”“Why can’t it be both?” Meera reached up to pinch his nose.“Because they’re dierent,” he insisted. “Like night and day, or iceand re.”“If ice can burn,” said Jojen in his solemn voice, “then love andhate can mate. Mountain or marsh, it makes no matter. The land isone.”“One,” his sister agreed, “but over wrinkled.”

Dragon. The blue star in the dragon’seye pointed the way north, as Osha told him once.

“You have. You’ve displeased me greatly, ser. If you were my trueknight, you would never have brought me to this vile sty.” If youwere my true knight, you would never have kissed me, or looked at mybreasts the way you did, or ...

Her hand ashed up andcracked Ser Jorah hard across the face

. The old gods and the new alikehold slavery to be an abomination. Evil.

Only trouble can come of this. Weremove the penis as well, leaving nothing.

Yes, child. And so are you. Be brave.”

white sun on black was the sigil of Lord Karstark, Arya thought.Those were Robb’s men. She wondered if they were still close. If shecould give the outlaws the slip and nd them, maybe they wouldtake her to her mother at Riverrun ...

drinking tansy tea

“I do not know who you are, child,” the woman said, “and it maybe that’s for the best. Someone important, I fear.” She smootheddown Arya’s collar. “In times like these, it is better to beinsignicant. Would that I could keep you here with me. That wouldnot be safe, though. I have walls, but too few men to hold them.”She sighed.

I dreamt of a roaringriver and a woman that was a sh. Dead she drifted, with red tearson her cheeks, but when her eyes did open,

. I dreamt of a man without a face, waiting on abridge that swayed and swung.

“I dreamt I saw a shadow with a burning heart butchering agolden stag, aye

And her ladymother, what would she say? Would she still want her back, after allthe things she’d done? Arya chewed her lip and wondered.

But what ifRobb won’t pay their price? She wasn’t a famous knight, and kingswere supposed to put the realm before their sisters.

They climbed to a hidden villagein the upper branches, a maze of rope walkways and little moss-covered houses concealed behind walls of red and gold,

He was aLannister of Casterly Rock, Lord Commander of the Kingsguard; nosellsword would make him scream.Sunlight ran silver along the edge of the arakh as it cameshivering down, almost too fast to see. And Jaime screamed.

“Shout it a little louder, wench, I don’t think Urswyck heard you.The sooner they know how little you’re worth in ransom, the soonerthe rapes begin. Every man here will mount you, but what do youcare? Just close your eyes, open your legs, and pretend they’re allLord Renly.”

“Shall I sing you a verse of ‘The Rains of Castamere’? The goatwon’t be quite so brave when my father gets hold of him.”

Jaime gave him a cold, contemptuous smile. “And men say I haveshit for honor?”

Ugly and stubborn though she might be, the wench deservedbetter than to be gang raped by such refuse as these.

er Jaime.”

Noseless said,

Brienne lurched to her feet. She was all mud and blood below thewaist, her clothing askew, her face red. She looks as if they caught usfucking instead of ghting. Jaime crawled over the rocks to shallowwater, wiping the blood from his eye with his chained hands. Armedmen lined both sides of the brook. Small wonder, we were makingenough noise to wake a dragon. “Well met, friends,” he called to themamiably. “My pardons if I disturbed you. You caught me chastisingmy wife.”

Jaime drove his shoulder into her legs, bringing her down on topof him. They rolled, kicking and punching until nally she wassitting astride him. He managed to jerk her dagger from its sheath,but before he could plunge it into her belly she caught his wrist andslammed his hands back on a rock so hard he thought she’dwrenched an arm from its socket. Her other hand spread across hisface. “Yield!” She shoved his head down, held it under, pulled it up.“Yield!” Jaime spit water into her face. A shove, a splash, and he

She is stronger than I am.The realization chilled him.

Jaime could not have said how long he pressed the attack. Itmight have been minutes or it might have been hours;

And another in your leg. You ought to let metend them.”“You?”“Who else?

We could marry him toMyrcella, once we’ve sent Sansa Stark back to her mother. That wouldshow the realm that the Lannisters are above their laws, like gods andTargaryens.

They need not have feared, though. It was not long after thatshe died birthing Tyrion. Jaime barely remembered what his motherhad looked like.

Once their mother’s maid had caughtthem at it ... he did not recall just what they had been doing, butwhatever it was had horried Lady Joanna. She’d sent the maid

The pool from which the town took itsname, where legend said that Florian the Fool had rst glimpsedJonquil bathing with her sisters, was so choked with rotting corpsesthat the water had turned into a murky grey-green soup.Jaime took one look and burst into song. “Six maids there were in aspring-fed pool ...”“What are you doing?” Brienne demanded.

she thought about Jeyne. The girl did seem tohave a good heart, j

When I rst came to Winterfell, I was hurt whenever Nedwent to the godswood to sit beneath his heart tree. Part of his soulwas in that tree, I knew, a part I would never share. Yet withoutthat part, I soon realized, he would not have been Ned.

Tell me what I should do. Catelyn might have asked the same, if herfather had been well enough to ask. But Lord Hoster was gone, ornear enough. Her Ned as well. Bran and Rickon too, and Mother, andBrandon so long ago. Only Robb remained to her, Robb and thefading hope of her daughters.

I want to be a good wife tohim, I do, but I don’t know how to help. To cheer him, or comforthim. I don’t know what he needs. Please, my lady, you’re his mother,tell me what I should do.”

“Yes,” the maester said, “but this battle he cannot win. It is timehe lay down his sword and shield. Time to yield.”To yield, she thought, to make a peace. Was it her father themaester was speaking of, or her son?

He stood shaking with his hands half-clenched andthe rain running down his cheeks. Gods forgive him, Catelyn prayedin silence. He is only a boy, and he had no other choice.

The axe crashed down. Heavy and well-honed, it killed at a singleblow, but it took three to sever the man’s head from his body, andby the time it was done both living and dead were drenched inblood.

“Old gods or new, it makes no matter,” Lord Rickard told her son,“no man is so accursed as the kinslayer.”“Kneel, traitor,” Robb said again. “Or must I have them force yourhead onto the block?”Lord Karstark knelt. “The gods shall judge you, as you havejudged me.” He laid his head upon the block.

The Karstarkstraced their descent to Karlon Stark, a younger son of Winterfellwho had put down a rebel lord a thousand years ago, and beengranted lands for his valor. The castle he built had been namedKarl’s Hold, but that soon became Karhold, and over the centuriesthe Karhold Starks had become Karstarks.

“The Others can take her, then,” Robb cursed, in a fury of despair.“Bloody Rickard Karstark as well. And Theon Greyjoy, Walder Frey,Tywin Lannister, and all the rest of them. Gods be good, why wouldany man ever want to be king? When everyone was shouting King inthe North, King in the North, I told myself ... swore to myself ... that Iwould be a good king, as honorable as Father, strong, just, loyal tomy friends and brave when I faced my enemies ... now I can’t eventell one from the other. How did it all get so confused? LordRickard’s fought at my side in half a dozen battles. His sons died forme in the Whispering Wood. Tion Frey and Willem Lannister weremy enemies. Yet now I have to kill my dead friends’ father for theirsakes.” He looked at them all. “Will the Lannisters thank me forLord Rickard’s head? Will the Freys?”

Is this the sound of a kingdomfalling?

Lord Umber,” said Robb, “this one was only the watcher. Hanghim last, so he may watch the others die.

“Or should I call you the King Who Lost the North,Your Grace?”

“It was no murder, ser,” said Lord Rickard Karstark, no morediscomted by the ropes about his wrists than by the blood thattrickled down his face. “Any man who steps between a father andhis vengeance asks for death.”

She looked down again upon the corpses of the squires Tion Freyand Willem Lannister, and waited for her son to speak

Will they lay Sansa down naked beneath the Iron Throneafter they have killed her? Will her skin seem as white, her blood as red

Every once in a very long while, Lord Tywin Lannister wouldactually threaten to smile; he never did, but the threat alone wasterrible to behold. “The greatest fools are ofttimes more clever thanthe men who laugh at them,”

The Rains of Castamere”

Lord Tywin was unconcerned. “Robb Stark will father no childrenon his fertile Frey, you have my word. There is a bit of news I havenot yet seen t to share with the council, though no doubt the goodlords will hear it soon enough. The Young Wolf has taken GawenWesterling’s eldest daughter to wife.”

“His Grace the royal pustule has madeSansa’s life a misery since the day her father died, and now that sheis nally rid of Jorey you propose to marry her to me. That seemssingularly cruel. Even for you, Father.”

“You mean to wed me to SansaStark.

It is past timeyou were wed.”

“Willas is heir toHighgarden, and by all reports a mild and courtly young man, fondof reading books and looking at the stars. He has a passion forbreeding animals as well, and owns the nest hounds, hawks, andhorses in the Seven Kingdoms.”

Lord Tywin went on. “Oberyn Martell might suit, but the Tyrellswould take that very ill. So we must look to the sons. I assume youdo not object to wedding a man younger than yourself?”“I object to wedding any—”“I have considered the Redwyne twins, Theon Greyjoy, QuentynMartell, and a number of others.

“Three children is quite sucient. I am Queen of the SevenKingdoms, not a brood mare! The Queen Regent!”“You are my daughter, and will do as I command.”She stood. “I will not sit here and listen to this—”“You will if you wish to have any voice in the choice of your nexthusband,” Lord Tywin said calmly.When she hesitated, then sat, Tyrion knew she was lost, despiteher loud declaration of, “I will not marry again!”“You will marry and you will breed. Every child you birth makesStannis more a liar.” Their father’s eyes seemed to pin her to herchair.

“And there is this—Lord Petyrcontinues to demonstrate his loyalty. Only yesterday he brought usword of a Tyrell plot to spirit Sansa Stark o to Highgarden for a‘visit,’ and there marry her to Lord Mace’s eldest son, Willas.”

“... the wildlings will ood the north,” his father nished, “andthe Starks and Greyjoys will have another enemy to contend with.They no longer wish to be subject to the Iron Throne, it would seem,so by what right do they look to the Iron Throne for aid? King Robband King Balon both claim the north. Let them defend it, if they can.And if not, this Mance Rayder might even prove a useful ally.” LordTywin looked to his brother. “Is there more?”

Varys sighed. “They have surely earned death, Your Grace, nonecan deny it. And yet, perhaps we might be wiser to send them to theNight’s Watch. We have had disturbing messages from the Wall oflate. Of wildlings astir ...”

ailors backfrom the Jade Sea report that a three-headed dragon has hatched inQarth, and is the wonder of that city—”“Dragons and krakens do not interest me, regardless of thenumber of their heads,” said Lord Tywin.

. It attacked an Ibbenese whaler and pulled it under.There is ghting on the Stepstones, and a new war between Tyroshand Lys seems likely. Both hope to win Myr as ally.

we have had a raven from Sunspear. Threehundred Dornishmen are riding toward King’s Landing as we speak,and hope to arrive before the wedding.”

“Perhaps we ought move on to the wedding,” Ser Kevan said.

Tyrion watched his father closely. There’s something he’s not saying.He remembered those important letters Lord Tywin had beenwriting, the night Tyrion had demanded Casterly Rock. What was ithe said? Some battles are won with swords and spears, others with quillsand ravens ... He wondered who the “better option” was, and whatsort of price he was demanding.

“Now, though ... a match between the Lady of the Eyrie andthe Lord of Harrenhal is not so unthinkable, is it?”

“She’s had me a few times before,

“Oh, I do,” said Littlenger, “I have it here between my legs.”There was mischief in his grey-green eyes. “My lords, with yourleave, I propose to travel to the Vale and there woo and win LadyLysa Arryn. Once I am her consort, I shall deliver you the Vale ofArryn without a drop of blood being spilled.”

Lord Tywin’s face gave no hint as to his feelings. “There is LysaArryn to deal with as well. Jon Arryn’s widow, Hoster Tully’sdaughter, Catelyn Stark’s sister ... whose husband was conspiringwith Stannis Baratheon at the time of his death.”

Too manystrange faces, Tyrion thought, too many new players. The gamechanged while I lay rotting in my bed, and no one will tell me the rules.

black dragonglass dagg

Hoarfrost covered itlike a sheen of frozen sweat, and a nest of sti black entrailsdragged from its open belly. On its back was a rider pale as ice. Sammade a whimpery sound deep in his throat. He was so scared he

Small Paul frowned. “Chett said I could have the Old Bear’s raven,the one that talks. I saved food for it and everything.”

I thought Grenn was myfriend. You shouldn’t kick your friends. Why won’t they let me be? I justneed to rest, that’s all, to rest and sleep some, and maybe die a little.

And now Jon was gone, lost in the Skirling Pass withQhorin Halfhand, most likely dead. Sam would have cried for him,but those tears would only freeze as well, and he could scarcelykeep his eyes open now.

“Help me get the birds o,” he pleaded, but theother steward had turned and run o, dagger in hand. He has thedogs to care for, Sam remembered. Probably the Lord Commanderhad given him some orders as well.

Wecould have taken the little boat and sailed it up to Riverrun.

. “It’dbe half a shame to hang a man as pretty as that one.”

He planned for Lord Eddard to come west himself to dealwith Gregor Clegane. If he had he would have been killed, or takenprisoner and traded for the Imp, who was your lady mother’scaptive at the time.

“Valar morghulis,”

now that Hot Pie had left them

I musttake it with me to Highgarden. She wanted to look beautiful for WillasTyrell. Even if Dontos was right, and it is Winterfell he wants and notme, he still may come to love me for myself. Sansa hugged herselftightly, wondering how long it would be before the gown was ready.She could scarcely wait to wear it.

She would name them Eddard and Brandonand Rickon, and raise them all to be as valiant as Ser Loras. And tohate Lannisters, too. In Sansa’s dreams, her children looked just likethe brothers she had lost. Sometimes there was even a girl wholooked like Arya.

Sansa was surprised that Margaery did not see it too. She is olderthan me, she must be wiser. And her father, Lord Tyrell, he knows whathe is doing, surely. I am just being silly.